Howard Lutnick, the former CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, was confirmed as President Trump's commerce secretary by the Senate on Tuesday. The vote was 51 to 45.
Lutnick will oversee an agenda around tariffs and protectionism. He has defended tariffs as a tool to protect U.S. industries from international competition, promoted lower corporate taxes, and called for an expansion of energy production.
As commerce secretary, Lutnick will take on a broad portfolio that includes defending U.S. business interests worldwide and overseeing restrictions on technology exports to countries like China.
At his confirmation hearing last month, Lutnick said he would take a tough stance on the department's oversight of technology sales to China and back up U.S. export controls with the threat of tariffs. He said the recent artificial intelligence technology released by the Chinese start-up DeepSeek had been underpinned by Meta's open platform and chips sold by the U.S. company Nvidia.
6 Comments
Manolo Noriega
“What message does it send when a major financier like Lutnick takes charge of our commerce? Too many conflicts of interest.”
Fuerza
“I don’t trust someone who champions aggressive tariffs as a cure-all; it’s a policy that can backfire and damage our economy significantly.”
Manolo Noriega
“This nomination feels like a step backwards for international cooperation. He’s more about confrontation than constructive economic policy.”
Fuerza
“Lutnick’s experience in the private sector should bring a pragmatic perspective to government – one that values tough choices.”
Ongania
“Lutnick’s aggressive stance on technology exports could lead to unnecessary tensions with global allies. Not the kind of leadership we need.”
Michelangelo
“I support his plan to enforce stricter controls on technology exports—it’s critical to protect our economic and national security.”